1.1    The crisis and progression of sanctification

The crisis of sanctification comes after the believers accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour. He begins to learn through the church, Bible studies and other Christians, about sin and Biblical principles. This leads to the understanding of God’s truths and what the world says is true. Here is where the crisis starts to affect the believer and must begin to choose what to believe. The decision one makes will determine where one stands. The choice will either draw one closer to godly truths or continue to live in the world. When one chooses godly truth, they will begin to draw near to God and live more abundantly, but if they deny the truth they will end up further away from God and live a defeated worldly lifestyle.

God’s Word says you should not commit adultery, fornication, murder or lie, hate or be malicious. God’s word begins to penetrate the human soul via the regenerated spirit and thus a crisis of being loyal to the old nature or God and the new nature arises. It is not easy at first, even Adam had to choose between his wife and obedience to God before he bit into the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and that was just one commandment that they had to obey. Another struggle can be the fact that God’s word says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15 KJV). Here the struggle is “I have not murdered anyone but now you are telling me if I hate my brother I am a murderer?” That is not the point, the point is “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10 KJV). It only takes one transgression to be guilty.

I believe God works in us to sanctify each area of our lives that needs to be sanctified and in each area there may be a crisis or struggle in which to choose. These struggles could be the maturing of the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). It could be a struggle with stirring up the gift in which you were bestowed; or even hearing God’s voice. (Was that me or God speaking in my head or heart).

Struggles can include reliance on self when one reads, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5 KJV). One may think I have made it this far without God’s help, what do you mean I can do nothing without Jesus? A deeper look into this may be sparked by such a question. A crisis is not started unless there is an offense to one’s current state or position. These crises will begin a change of thinking in which God can use to draw one closer to Himself. Each truth one holds on to and accepts begins to mold one’s life to be more like Jesus. It is a journey to desire what God desires and love what God loves.

Choose you this day whom you will serve and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. But being confident in this very thing that God is working in you until the return of Jesus Christ. Therefore, sanctify yourselves unto God knowing that He has given us life and that we might live more abundantly. Choose life.

In Christ,

Greg